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Venusaur is one of the best sun sweepers on the block. Like Shiftry, Venusaur loves to abuse Chlorophyll, Drought, and Growth. Growth boosts Venusaur's Attack and Special Attack by two stages in the sun, essentially being both Swords Dance and Nasty Plot at once. Sleep Powder cripples counters and makes openings to use Growth. For your attacks, there are three main choices. Solarbeam really emphasizes the Sun abuse and has huge damage, but Giga Drain is a very strong option as well because it keeps you healthy despite using Life Orb and stops you from being wrecked by switch ins from Drizzletoed, Tyranitar, Hippowdon, and Abomasnow. Earthquake stops Fire and Steel types that Venusaur is normally very free to cold.

Power Whip is a great STAB attack that packs loads of power, and has quite a wealth of PP for long fights. Sleep Powder disposes of anything that Venusaur cannot deal with immediately by forcing switches. Earthquake handles Fire and Steel types. Swords Dance can be used behind Substitute to boost Attack while safe from damage and status and can be easily set up after hitting with Sleep Powder.

The reason to use this set over a Sun-Growth set is that it is not entirely dependent upon the sun. Drizzle, Sandstorm, even Hail see frequent use, so it won't be uncommon for your sun to be snuffed out. This set offers a more stable alternative at the cost of a mixed movepool (It's strapped for moveslots anyway though), but it can also help Venasaur see use on non-drought based teams.

Countering Venusaur

If your opponent is using Venusaur, it is usually in the sun. As such, Fire types have a party with Venusaur if it lacks Earthquake. Rotom-H stops Venusaur cold, thanks to its typing, ability, and threatening Overheats; Charizard has a great typing (Not in general but in this case) to deal with Venusaur, as does Moltres. The main thing you want to keep mind with Venusaur is that a lot of them carry Sleep Powder and that it has base 80 Speed. You'll want to outrun Venasaur above all else. Crobat can eat anything Venusaur throws at it and throw a wrench in its works with Taunt because pretty much any viable Venusaur set is running any combination of Growth, Leech Seed, Substitute, and sometimes Synthesis, then threatens it with Brave Bat. Acrobatics Drifblim is a niche counter, setting up Substitutes in its face, outrunning it and smashing it with STAB Acrobatics, and neutering physical sets with Will-O-Wisp. Anything faster with STAB attacks can kill Venusaur frankly.

Ahh Venusaur. You used to be so bad. Till drought got made permanent. The special chlorophyll sweeper of choice (physical being sawsbuck IMO). With a variety of support moves, and Growth to give it the boosts it needs, this dinosaur is capable of destroying worlds
Abilities: Overgrow: Grass type moves are increased by 30% when at 33% hp or less. Yeah, not so much. Chlorophyll is sooo much better
Chlorophyll: Doubles speed under sun. Ermahgerd, best ability for it, for it is capable of a lot with it
When I GROWTH up I want to be so SPECIAL:
Venusaur@Life Orb/Black sludge
Ability:Chlorophyll
Nature:Modest
Evs: 252 Spa 252 spd 4 hp
Moves: Growth
Giga Drain
Hidden Power Fire
Sludge Bomb/sleep powder/substitute
Standard set right here. Get sun, get growth, annihilate. Giga drain is crazy strong after a growth and can give some HP lost from life orb. HP fire roasts steels and grass types that laugh at giga drain. Sludge bomb can round off the set by giving more coverage and STAB, sleep powder can cripple a pesky enemy, and sub can block status

Checks and teammates
Teammates: SUN. Ninetales must be there for Venusaur. That infinite sun will make any enemy double check before walking into their demise. Also, something to eliminate weather war pokes, as they can cripple it with no speed support.
Checks: Weather pokes can change the weather and remove it's speed, in particular sand and hail as they also rack up damage on venusaur. If it has no boosts, any strong fire type like Ninetales, flying types like Tornadus T and psychic types like latios can all come in and destroy it with super effective moves and resist Venusaurs attacks.

Venasaur, the flower-monster thing that got better in 5th gen, mostly due to Chlorophyll, helping its usefulness by a lot. It has Leech Seed, Sleep Powder, and Growth to help its variety of uses. Volcarona is a check I can think of since it has enough Special bulk to take Venasaur's hits and kill it with Fire Blast,

SaurlarBeam
Venusaur@Life Orb
Chlorophyll
252 hp/252 SAtk/4 Spd
Hasty (+spd -def)
Solarbeam/Petal Dance
Earthquake/Sludge Bomb
Giga Drain
Sleep Powder
Best used under sunlight with Ninetales, although it can be used otherwise without as much sucess, with Petal Dance. Earthquake is there for type coverage, as is sludge bomb with nice Poison STAB, Giga Drain is there to counter Life orb, and Sleep powder can buy you some time to either switch or heal up.

...Well, if you think I'm gonna type my name in some rediculous swirly cursive font, well, that's not happening. At least for now.

just for the element of surprise and that fully statisfying moment when Altaria comes in expecting to counter you and then BAM, it is hit by CB Outrage. CB Venusaur is not good at all, it simply doesn't have the type coverage or the stats to do this properly, but it's all about the fun. And what's more fun than hitting an Altaria with Outrage on the switch in with a Venusaur and making your foe completely think WTF?

VenusaurOvergrow: Honestly, this skill is pretty useless and there is no reason why you should run Overgrow over Chlorophyll.
Chlorophyll: So Venusaur got this Dream World Ability that many sun sweepers would die for. Double speed in the sun means that with certain investment, it can outrun a lot of Pokemon in the match. Growth gets 2 stage boost for attack and special attack in the sun, synthesis heals 2/3 of Venusaur's HP and of course, Solarbeam requires no charging.
Venu-Solar Beam

Venusaur is crazy in the sun. Making full use of the Sun, Growth turns Venusaur into a fearsome and bulky sweeper. Solarbeam is the main meat of this set. At 120 Base Power with practically no drawbacks at all and after a growth boost and a life orb boost, it can really destroy an unprepared team. Giga Drain can be used on the third slot as a form of recovery, while doing damage. However, Synthesis heals a no doubt 2/3 in the sun, so it can be considered as well. Hidden Power <Fire> can turn into a 105 Base Power beast and help murder Ferrothorn, who can stop you dead in the tracks from going 6-0, as well as other steel types, who will try their best to wall you to the end.
I'm a Venusaur, tanking tanking tanking tanking tanking Venusaur

Venusaur, under the sun, is fearsome defensively as well. Hidden Power <Fire> is a way to get you out of being taunted, destroy steel types who try to counter-tank you, as well as grass types who'll try to switch in to Leech Seed. Meanwhile, Synthesis and Giga Drain covers healing this tanker. Giga Drain has an edge for being able to prevent Venusaur from being a taunt bait, which may hurt its chances in tanking, and has an extra edge when weather gets cancelled. Toxic is your way of wearing down the opponent slowly, slowly poisoning them and let the poison cover their entire body before they slowly faint... Leech Seed gets there to help slowly recover you, and combined with Black Sludge, your enemy might have little chance of landing a fatal blow on this tanker.

This set actually functions pretty well outside sun, but Venusaur still wants its sun. Sword Dance boosts two stage, everywhere. It is recommended over Growth as the side effect of boosting special attack is unnecessary in this set. Power Whip is strong, powerful but the 70 accuracy could hurt a bit. Earthquake is coverage for steel types like Heatran, who does not enjoy having his cave crumbling down like toy blocks. Of course, Leech Seed and Synthesis are there to recover from the Life Orb recoil, which might make you easier to take down.

Other Option
Sleep Powder is a decent option. However, a recovery move or a fire type move is too hard to ignore as it might cause some serious problems
Sunny Day can be run... If you don't have a Ninetales or Groundon on your side.

Partners

Ninetales and Groundon. That's all you really want, because Venusaur is back to UU without the sun. Thus, it is important that your team has the strength to fight back against common weather casters and weather cancellers like Golduck.

Countering Venusaur

To counter Venusaur, KILL SUN! Launch a rocket missle aimed at the sun and you - Oh never mind. To kill sun, either cancel weather effects or cancel it with another weather that is unfavourable to Venusaur, namely rain. Contestants like Kyogre, Politoed, Tyranitar, Hippowdon, Abomasnow, Golduck and Rayquaza comes into mind. Ironically, majority of the listed are weak to grass types. Abomasnow can kill Sun, throw in hail, hit it with a powerful 100% accurate Blizzard. In Sun, there are still contestants that can hit Venusaur hard.

The sweet sound of nostalgia hit the PoTW this week.
The main reason, the Grass-type starter from Kanto...

Ability Compendium:Overgrow: When HP is below 1/3rd, Grass’s power increases to 1.5 times.
A common ability among Grass-type starters, however Venusaur has a better ability.Chlorophyll: When sunny, the Pokémon’s Speed doubles. However, Speed will not double on the turn weather becomes Clear Skies.
The sun sweeper's worshipped ability.
Needless to say, this is Venusaur's must have ability. That increases Venusaur's speed to sweeping levels.

Just add Sun!
Venusaur@Life Orb
Ability: Chlorophyll
Nature: Modest/Timid
EVs: 252 Sp Atk+252 (or less) Spd+the rest you can invest in HP or Def
Solarbeam/Giga Drain
Sludge Bomb/Growth
HP Fire
Giga Drain/Synthesis
Note: In this set, you MUST, I repeat, you MUST have sun support in order to use this set the best way (you can add a Groudon or a DW Ninetales for example)
With permasun (thanks to Groudon/Ninetales) or with any Pokémon with Sunny Day (you can include Venusaur), Venusaur can fire STAB Solarbeams in your opponent's face until another Pokémon (a weather inducing Pokémon) tries to ruin your day. If sun isn't available (it should be), Giga Drain gets STAB and heals Venusaur, mainly from Life Orb's recoil.
Though Sludge Bomb has terrible coverage, the opponents won't like having their Pokémon poisoned (there are exceptions), or else you can try Growth, which acts as a Swords Dance+Nasty Plot if sun is present.
HP Fire gets a boost under sun and covers Steels.
The fourth move can be Giga Drain if the sun disappears or if you can count on it, Synthesis will heal 2/3 of Venusaur's max HP under sunshine.

Prediction for next week (though my prediction skills are worse than my puns):
Don't ask me how I predicted Meganium.

In personal experience in Pokemon online try playing an Eviolite Ivysaur in either RU or UU.
The movesets will be similar to Venusaur (the mixed version works best personally) but with chlorophyll and drought from either Ninetales or Evolite Vulpix, he's quite a pain to deal. Chandelure checks it if Hidden Power ground or any status isn't present.

Set something to sleep and proceed to set up on it. After 3 growth boosts, Solarbeam will be able to OHKO standard Salamence after stealth rock damage and OHKOs Latios easily.
Giga drain is an option if you are afraid of opposing weather, as solarbeam will be useless if sun isn't out. Giga drain also helps recovering some damage taken from life orb and other damage.
Hidden power fire is secondary move, hitting steel and grass pokemons for super effective damage as well as getting a boost from sun.
Hidden power ice is an option to hit some pokemons harder, but not many things resists +6 solarbeam (and those who resist it are 2HKOd easily with help from sleep powder).
Sludge bomb is also an option, but it won't hit steels and is only useful against fire pokemons.
Sleep powder is what makes salamence a beast. Put a pokemon to sleep, set up and then sweep. Even max SpD/HP calm blissey is 2HKOd by solarbeam!
In my opinion, venusaur is the easiest set-up sweeper, but is countered by many things.
Life orb is the preferred item for the power boost, but leftovers can be used if you dislike the residual damage (as scizor can take advantage of that).
Rain, hail and sun really ruins venusaur's days. Tyranitar, hippowdon and politoed fear giga drain, but they can switch into solarbeam, make it recharge by changing the weather, and then use protect during the second turn. Abomasnow fears HP fire and is 2HKOed by giga drain.
Dragonite is the best counter i can think of, thanks to multiscale and lum berry.
If you want to stop venusaur, switch into a growth, as then sleep clause will probably already been activated and venusaur won't be able to do much with sand/rain/hail out as well as only +2 offensive boosts.
If Venusaur is maxed out, then you have to sacrifice a weather starter/summoner to stop venusaur's sweep (for now).
Also, sleep powders 75% accuracy sucks.
And to clear confusion, all the calculations are calculated with +6 in special attack.

† I am a Christian and proud of it! Copy and paste this if you are too.†

I'm not trying to reccomend anything, but one time i used hyper beam on accident when i thought i had clicked on hidden power....long story short: +2 Modest Venusaur slaughtered counter and swept team...very much a lol worthy moment where accident met awesome

Leech seed is there to heal you and damage your enemy, ingrain is to recover health but the downside is you get the side effect of bot being able to switch out, Giga drain is for stab and to help recover more health, and HP rock covers 2 weaknesses flying, and ice, and hp fire well beats other venusaur that would be ineffective due to resistance and immunity black sludge is to make trick users hesitate to target you and when in weather it cancels kit the turn by turn damage

For partners you could have anyone who covers psychic pokemon so umbreon, froslass anything slow and bulky that can stall and do damage, or hit and tale them right off the bat with someone fast like froslass, or gengar venusaur isn't bulky enough to take one of Terrakion's beat up combos because it simply doesn't have quite enough bulk so its best to use only in single battles whether you use it in doubles, or triples is not my call leech seed gets lore if you do triple or double but just remember its not a complete flexible tank like amoonguss

Curse is to increase defense and attack, seed bomb for stab and the overgrow effect assuming you get to use it outrage to take out dragonite, salamence, or the less powerful threat but still kinda deadly flygon, grass whistle to put your opponent to sleep or toxic for more accuracy and damage

The idea is simple, you come in, put something to sleep, set up a sub, and continue to drain your opponents health. With Chlorofyll and a bit of speed investment, this can be incredibly annoying. Its main power is surprise factor, as most people expect a Growth sweeper. (Which may actually be more effective, but this is more fun xD)

Goodbye Serebiiforums, I will not visit you anymore. I want to be free~

Venusaur has seen a massive increase in usage ever since Dream World released its Hidden Ability: Chlorophyll. And thanks to Ninetales' Hidden Ability Drought he can easily abuse it. PLUS with new effect of Growth doubling your ATK & SP.ATK in Sun makes Venusaur a HUGE threat

simply put take advantage through typing and use Growth on the switch. Venusaur reaches 656 Sp.Atk after a growth in the sun and Chlorophyll gives him 518 speed in sun making him a very dangerous sweeper. Giga drain still hits hard after STAB, +2 Sp.atk and Life Orb and restores your HP, Solarbeam is another option for even more power(but with the prominence of Politoed it may be not the best choice. HP Fire gets a Psuedo STAB in the Sun. the last move is up to you. Sludge Bomb for an extra attack move or Sleep Powder to give Venusaur a chance to set up growth.

Venusaur can run an effective Physical ATK set using Swords Dance or Growth(SD may be better because of, again, Politoed's high usage) but its best ATK grass move as of now at least is Seed Bomb which isn't too bad considering Power Whip is an egg move which is illegal sadly. He can possibly pull off a subseed set too but haven't thought of using one cos the special sweeper is soooooo much better. Venusaur possibly might be able to play among the heavy hitters of the Uber tier but of course now Kyogre's high usage is now the main problem.

This set tries to incorporate all of Venusaur's best attributes to gain a sweep. Switch in on any resists, especially water attacks, and start growthing and sweeping. Can shrug off walls that rely on Toxic for real damage and potentially get multiple growths in. Giga Drain destroys many threats and recovers any hp lost while setting up. While poison is generally considered a poor offensive type, it provides Venusaur with a second STAB attack and a way to hurt other grass types. Earthquake has good type coverage with Giga Drain and Sludge Bomb, with only a select few resisting the combo. What works best about this set is its ability to potential take a few hits over time. Faster pokes and priority moves can kill Life Orb Venusaur, but this set often is able to hold its own against common Venusaur threats. After a couple of Growths in the sun, Venusaur should be able to OHKO almost all OU threats.

Partners:
Obviously Ninetales, preferably a specially defensive set with hypnosis to potentially provide Venusaur with a means to set up. Chansey with Wish also works well, giving Venusaur a second chance and absorbing Fire Blasts and Ice Beams. A physically defensive wall is also needed, like Hitmontop with Intimidate. Ground types are also useful, as Venusaur often attracts Thunder Waves from walls like Chansey.

Growth is standard in the sun, for sure. Giga Drain is now available through BW2 Tutors, so that is your best attack. Earthquake smashed Heatran and Chandelure, which is cool. Sludge Bomb beats any dragons that usually wall. HP Fire hits...stuff, and gets an equivalent STAB boost, but Sludge Bomb hits most of what would be hit by HP Fire. Sleep Powder shuts down a counter, like Dragons who wall you without Sludge Bomb.

Abilities
Overgrow: No.
Chloroyphyll: Thanks to Ninetales coming with Drought, this has turned Venasaur into the game's best sun sweeper. Growth now gives +2 in both attacking stats under the sunlight, so after one turn in sun Venasaur has basically used Shell Smash without any defense drops.

Venasaur got much better this generation thanks to Drought, Growth, and Chloryphyll. Apparently it can't used Power Whip or Giga Drain (although it may be available in BW2), but its STABs hit every other weather starter for SE damage. Power Whip (if available) would smash Tyranitar and Politoed on their weaker defense stat while Sludge Bomb deals with Abomasnow (but Venasaur will take a lot from Blizzard, but you'll have Fire pokemon on a sun team anyway).

Partners
Ninetales is a given. Never use Venasaur without it. Venasaur is also good at stopping opposing weather starters, but pack a Fire Type for Abomasnow. Ferrothorn is also a good choice as it's Power Whip does solid damage to Politoed and Tyranitar (but watch out for Fire Blast). Venasaur also sports a resistance to Fighting types and hits Terrakion hard with Grass STAB, so use things that can benefit off that. Jellicent has resistances to Fire and Ice while Venasaur resists Electric, making it a solid combination. Rotom-W also likes Venasaur because it 4x resists Grass, while Rotom resists Fire and Ice.

With Tornadus-T out and wreaking havoc, it's imperative to pack a counter, as it will destroy Venasaur with Hurricane. It Tornadus-T is choiced, Venasaur and Blissey can stop it together with the help of Stealth Rock, has Blissey or Chansey can switch into Hurricane and Venasaur can come into Superpower.

Venusaur is lethal. I mean, Growth gives it +2 sp.attack in sun, and then there's Solarbeam. It wrecks everything, even if it resists it! Chlorophyll doubles it's already decent speed, meaning that you can use Sleep Powder on any fire types that might get in the way.

Counters
It really depends on weather and the Hidden Power. In the sun Venasaur is a super fast killing machine, but as long as it doesn't have HP Ground Heatran beats it. Heatran resists Grass 4x and is immune to Poison and will beat Venasaur with a sun boosted Fire Blast. In fact, a set of Growth/Grass move/Sludge Bomb/HP Ice is walled by Heatran completely. However, physical sets will kill Heatran with Earthquake and a boosted HP Ground will do the same. If it has HP Ground over HP Ice Dragonite is a good option. Grass is resisted 4x and it can either set up a DDance or hit with a sun boosted Fire Punch/Blast. Ferrothorn will wall it if it doesn't carry HP Fire, but it can't hurt it at all without Gyro Ball. Jirachi can if there is no HP Ground or Fire, but it can take HP Fire in the rain and paralyze Venasaur. In any other weather Venasaur is much slower and much easier to kill. In Hail a 100% accurate Blizzard from something like Kyurem should finish it off. In rain Tirnadus-T is probably the best. It can outspeed and hit Vensaur hard with Hurricane. Venasaur can't kill it without HP Ice or a boosted Sludge Bomb. It also can't cripple Therian Form like it could with Incarnation Form thanks to Torndaus-T's better defenses. It can also Roost off the damage or U-Turn out and heal with Regenerator. Reuniclus with Trick Room can outspeed it and tank special sets with Calm Mind and beat it with a Psychic move.